Pay It Forward With Your Business

I am an advocate for the Pay it Forward Campaign.  Growing up in a relatively small town, attending a small neighborhood church and living on a very small street, my mother was constantly doing things for our neighbors.  She would have my brother and I rake leaves for older widowed ladies, before raking our own.  I was the deliverer of cakes, pies, cookies and casseroles that my mother and I would bake for people on our street that she thought just needed something in their belly.  I was that little girl that would pick all those beautiful dandelions in our yard and leave them on the doorstep of Mrs. Craig’s front porch with a note that said, “Sumbodie is thanking of you today.  Love, your sekret admirror” (smiley face).

My precious mother instilled in me a desire to serve others with random acts of kindness. I believe that it is our responsibility to bless others in whatever capacity we are able to do so, and to teach our children and those around us to do the same.  Acts of kindness shouldn’t stop at the end of our driveway.  There are so many people in the world whom are suffering from a lifetime of hardship or just a month of misfortune.  People need your kindness.  Sprinkle it.  Salt your community with goodness and good deeds, creating a beautiful and wonderful ripple effect.  And don’t worry, it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to do this.  Check out www.randomactsofkindness.org for creative ideas on what you can do in your community to #PayItForward.

As a business owner, I am also an advocate for a movement I like to call, Pay it Forward With Your Business.  Utilizing the resources of one of our businesses, MBI Worldwide, Inc., my husband and I have been blessed with opportunities to serve others utilizing our business resources, network and finances.  I believe in the Pay it Forward With Your Business motto because I also believe that if you really want doors to open for your business, you must open doors for others.  One of the ways that @MBIWorldwide gives back to the community is through its financial support of a local organization in #Herrin, IL called S.W.A.G. Her UP.  “Suiting Women to Accomplish their Goals”.  #SWAG provides professional interview attire to disadvantaged women for job interviews.  Other organizations that MBI Worldwide supports are Compassion International and Marion Medical Missions Shallow Well Program.  For a complete listing of all the organizations that we believe in, please visit our website.  Using the financing from our company, MBI Worldwide has been able to help build churches in South America and support schools in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Giving back is truly rewarding, if you allow yourself to do so.  

Adding to the Pay it Forward With Your Business Campaign, we at MBI Worldwide believe in offering our employees the opportunity to also Pay it Forward.  One way that we do that is through our MBI Makes a Difference Time off for teamwork.  This optional strategy allows our team members an additional paid 16 hours per year to volunteer at local non-profit organizations in the communities in which they live, and in organizations that they are passionate about.  So far, we have been able to volunteer for animal shelters, homeless shelters, women’s shelters and even The Make a Wish Foundation, providing those organizations with valuable assistance and support. Each year, we give out a MBI M.A.D. ABOUT YOU Award to the team member that utilizes their time off, displays compassion, integrity and performs additional community service work above and beyond MBI Makes a Difference time.

If you own a business, or are in a position within your business to implement a similar program as this, please do it!  Mahatma Ghandi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  To see change, you need to give opportunities for change,  and if that is an additional paid day off to have a member of your team give back, it is small price to pay for a huge impact on the world.

The Pay it Forward With Your Business movement needs more business owners, more executives and more advocates that believe in paying it forward.  Please join in this movement, and share it with your business associates.  Create teams and build a network of movers and shakers.  You can begin to move others with your generosity and shake the earth with #randomactsofkindness.  Create an optional Pay it Forward policy for your employees, giving them an opportunity to spread kindness themselves outside of the work environment.  Lead by example, join organizations and clubs that give back.  Volunteer in a soup kitchen, or better yet, buy the soup and volunteer!   Together, through our businesses, resources and networks, we really can make an impact and pay it forward.   

Kandi Chapman
President
MBI Worldwide

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16